Dredger-bucket mounting and operating structure



Nov. 6, 1928.

J. E. FUNK DREDGER BUCKET MOUNTING AND OPERATING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,574 J. E. FUNK DREDGER BUCKET MOUNTING AND OPERATING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR INVENTOR ATTO R N EY 4 Sheets-Sheet cLEZFLmk J. E. FUNK DREDGER BUCKET MOUNTING AND OPERATING STRUCTURE Nov. 6, 1928.

Filed Feb. 8, 1927v I-'' Ir BY Qvxz ,QQALEA Nov. 6, 1928.

J. E. FUNK DREDGER BUCKET MOUNTING AND OPERATING STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 8, 1927 A R V- WN R w k m S 8 A a m M Q K a? F R 2 h. IF R!|\|\ m m $34, II/(11 umt o 0H 0 I 0.. o Q o Q Q a 0 M c o o LL Q m, mm H mm mm m MN W QM QN mm 0 MN Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

v UNITED I STATES;

JGEHN E. FUNK, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

DBEDGER-BUOKET MQUNTING AND bPERATING STRUCTURE.

Application filed February 8, 1927. Serial No. 166,650.

This invention relates to improvements in dredging apparatus, either of the floating or land supported type which utilizes a bucket of the opposed grab or clam shell type, supported from a boom, with a cable for closing the grabs. Such buckets are all constructed on the same general principle and include opposed jaws orgrabs pivoted together for opening and closing movement. There are various mechanisms in common use mounted in connect-ion with the buckets for applying the closing movement of the jaws with a pull on the operating cable. A far as I aware, however, such pull, no matter what the type of associated bucket mechanism may be, always tends to pull up on the bucket simultaneously with the closing of the jaws. The result is that under 1.1%, rtain -conciitions, especially when attempting to operate in i'hard ground, the jaws will be closed without appreciably digging into the ground and the bucket will be raised withat best only a partial load.

This defective feature is recognized by manufacturers and attempts to overcome the raising tendency of the bucket have been rile i-nyarieus ways. One such method s in making-the bucket very heavy so (h V t that the weight of the bucket itself is somegreatly in-excess of that of even a capacity load, These extra heavy buckets however not only fail to overcome the defeet but of course addoonsiderably to the dead weight which mustbe continuously supported :and manipulated during the operations of the -cl1.ec: e1'..- Considerable power therefore usedto no useful end and dredging operations are slow uncertain and EX? pensive.

Other methods of overcoming the defecthave also been tried such as usin a numher of sheaveslowrwhich the operating cable passes, to provide leverage and power to close the grabs and overcome the lifttendency. This arrangement does not a ogether overcome the defect, and the length of cable necessarily pulled in when closing the bucket. consumes considerable time in the aggregate. It may therefore be accepted as a fact that as long as the bucket is free to move upwandl-y (and the buckets are all now suspended from one or more.

cables), such methods cannot be entirely successful.

The prlncipal ObJect of my nvention therefore isto support the bucket from the boom in such a manner that the bucketclosing cable can never exert any upward pull on the bucket .no matter how hard the dirt in contact with the bucket maybe, As a result the bucket can successfully dig in (lllllWhlCll ordinary buckets willnot apprecia-bly penetrate. The supporting means for the bucket is also of such a naturetha-t not only is the cable prevented fromacting to raise the bucket but the latter mayjiloe posi tively pressed against the ground by its own weight and that of the supporting boom as well. This is obviously a valuable aid in causing the bucket to penetrateinto the dirt.

A further object of the invention is to arthis combination of features the bucket may be much lighter than is at presentpossible without interfering with its carrying capacity or with its efficiency of operation; The power consumed, in dredging operations is materially lessened, and time and money is savedysince a fully loadedbucket is practically insured with every manipulation and closing of the same.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly ,ef-' fective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as willfully appear by a perusal of the following specification and. claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: 7 A

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of oneforrn of my improved bucket and boom operating cable as arranged to exert a definite downward pull on the boom.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofithe same form Fig. '3 isa side elevation of another form of bucket and boom arrangement utilizing an auxiliary boom from which the bucket is suspended, in addition to the main boom.

Fig. 4: 1s a s milar View of the same mounting arrangement as shown in Fig; 3 but with the bucketbperating cable" arranged'to exert a definite downward pull on the auxiliary boom,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross section on the line 5+5 of Fig.1. p

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reterence on the" drawings, the

supporting structure of the dredger may, as

indicated in the preamble, be eitherof the land or'w ater borne'type. Inthe present instance'l have shown such structure as bey frame structure, filedJanu-ary 2 1th,"1927, "Serial NO. 163,251. Such structureconprises essentially amain frame lcsupportcd' ing the same as that shown. and described in co-pending appl cation on a dredger on its forward end on anendles s tracirtruck 2. T'ur'nable on the main frame at its forward end is a turntable 3 on which is mounted a mast 4 pivotally supported at its upper end by a brace structure 1 extending rearwardly and downwardly to thema'in frame.

structure is common to all the arrangeinents ilflustratedfin the drawings. 1 "Referring particularly for thepre'sent to Figs; 1 and 2, a boomf of suitable'length is pivoted on the mast at its base, said boom be ng supported at ltS upper and outer ends for vertical adjustment bymeans of a cable and sheave arrangement of suitable character, indicated: generally at 6. This arrangement extends betw'een'the boomandithe top of the mast, itsop'eratin'gcable "Textende ing thence to a'druni on the main frame over gui'de'sheaves' 8 mounted in connection with the "mast and preferably arranged as called for in the co-pendingapplication above men- 'tlone'd."

Pivotally mounted on and depending from the outer end of the boo n'is a rigid bucket supporting, structure S. In, Figs. 1 andj2 thisstructure S is shown" as beingof telescopic or-extensible form and comprises a pair of tubular members 10 and 11 slidably and turnably'fitted within each: other, the

male member being uppermost; The" outer or temale member 11 has a long slit 12 so that saidmember maybe frictionally engaged withthe member 10 by suitable clamps 13'. A thrust collar 14 is preferably clam Jed" on the member 10 directly above themem er, 11 thelatter having one orjmore hooks 15 orlthi e like projecting upwardly' to overhang. and engage the thrust collar. If it is desiredto extend or contract this structure all the clamp members are loosened 'so as to allow the member 11 tOSllP on the member 10.' If

i i it is merely desired to turnthe bucket (here inafter described and which is supported from the member 11) "so as to alter the set- 1,690,574 V 3 g: ,l

tingof said bucket relative to the boonnthe I clamps 13 are loosened but the collar 1 1 i's'let't tight. The member 11 will therefore be held-from dropping by the hooks 15 so that it can be rotated to any desired position,

when the clamps '13 are again cinchcd up so thence upwardly to a'common. pivotal connection with the lower'end of the supporting structure S. These grabs as usual tend-to open out by their own weight and are closed by an upward pull applied'to theouter endo't" an arm 19mountedin connection with oneof the grabs and pro ect1ngpast'the.

pivotal connection of the arms 17 into or toward the other'grab."*Oneend of the supporting cable 20 is attached to the-outer end of this arm,extends{around a' sheave 21 mounted incon'nection with the arms 18 at their upper "ends, thence up alongside, 'be tween 01 through the supporting"structure S (dependingupon which type isused) to andover a sheave 22 mounted on the'boom rearwardly of but adj a cent the connection of the structure S therewith. I a

In thearrangement shown Fig. 2 this cable 20 then extends continuously the full length of'the boom to and around sheaves 23 mounted on the mast in the same manner as the sheaves 8 'to the control" drum on the frame. It will thereforejbe seen that with this arrangement a closingpull on the cable is transmitted to the bucket arm '19 without any tendency or possibility of lifting the -bucket,'owingto the rigid structure'S and the rigid arms 18 disposed between theboom and the grabs; It the boom supporting cable? is left slack' when'the bucket is engaged with the dirt,-the weight of the boom. and bucket will serve to press'the latter into the dirt.

In the arrangment of the cable20 in Fig.

1, after leaving the sheave 22," said cable extends lengthwise of the boom to a point below the same and then around a sheave 24% mounted in a fixed position relative to the boom below thesame and secured to the turntable and themast by suitable rigid'connections as at 25. The cable then extends into and around another-sheave '26 mounted on the boom forwardly of the location of the sheave 2 1; thence back to and around the sheave24;,to and around the sheave 26, and

thence to the mast sheaves 23. By means of ti is arrangement the pull on the cable will not only act topull up on the arml9 and close'the grabs, but will at the same time exert powerful downward pull on the boom owing particularly to the relatively low and fixed sheave 24: over which this cable passes before passing about the sheave It will be noted that the sheave 24: is

the most important element of this arrange.

ment, and the numberof turns of the cable about the sheaves 24 and 26, and the particuvlar direction in whichthe cable runs from 4, the main boom 5 is fixed onto the mast instead of being pivoted, and the supporting structi-ure 6 between the mast and the boom at the top is non-a-djustable except possibly sufficient to enable any stretch to be taken up. Pivotally connected to the main boom near its base and extending thence forwardly and under the same, is an auxiliary boom 27. This auxiliary boom comprises a pair of transversely spaced members disposed outside of the boom 5 so as to be relatively wide and hence capable of being easily made off a transversely stiff and rigid nature. The supporting structure S (of the type either as shown in Figs. 1 0-192), and the bucket B of the same type as previously d "ribed, or any'other suitable form 'depend from the outer end of the boom 27.

This boom is supported at its outer end and raised or lowered when necessary t'oraise and lower the bucket by a supporting and control cable .28 applied thereto. extends upwardly and around a sheave "29 mounted on the boom 5" and thence to and around a sheave arrangement 30 mounted on the mast and corresponding in arrangement to the sheaves 8 etc.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 8 the closing cable 31 for the bucket extends around a sheave 32 mounted on the boom 2. and thence along the boom to and around sheaves mounted on the mast. ulltthe rear or pivoted end of the boom 27 this cable preferably passes between vertically spaced sheaves or rollers 84 so as to maintain the cable longitudinally alined with the boom regardl .s of the raising or lowering of the latter.

. the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the bum er operat )3 cablegl aft-r passing about the sheaveextends lei the boom 2'? to a pointbelow the 7 same adacent its rear ivoted end where it Jasses This cable the invention as set fo th he.

. the boom cone ctions be of about a sheave 35 fixed relative to said boom and supported from the main boom and the mast by suitable rigid'cmmections 36. The cable then passes upwardly to and aboutthe sheaves Though I have shown in this in tance the cable as having a single run from the sheave32to the sheaves 35, it will.

.11 its own weight to aid in this operation. If the r e of L'llZSlQVGI and power increasingcable arrangement is not desired or necessary in certain cases the bucket operating cable maybe simply withdrawnfrom engagement with the sh ave 35 and allowed to run p ht from the sheaves 33 to the sheave to he distinctly understood that While I hare shown and described a sieeial form of mast and main supporting structure for the lmcm, and a special form ofbucket, these l5" tures in tl zeii'iselves are capable of being altered to any desired extent without interthe slightest with the operation 'oning of the important features tion. In other W" l':, a bucket boom supporting arrangement may be nted :onnection with the boom supp- "l structure of any dredger; and bucket as long as it is of the ieral type defined may he supported from the'ri ic s ructure depending from the boom.

From the foregoing ClGSt c' y that I have produced such. a dcrice as substantially fulfills the objects of ein.

lllhile this specification ts forth in detail the present and prefer; construct-ion of the device stil n practi such deviations from stch detail 11 y be; .orted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invei tion, as delined'by the appended claims.

Having thus described my in vention what I claim asne'w and use p 1 desire to secure byLetters Patent is: I

1. In sedger, a boom, bucket the e-- below, Stl uclret comprising opposed g: pivoted t che r for op l cio.

iovcmei 'd ccnnectim beta-ecu bucket and supporting the ended an i ll) si teed 1e boom inelud thecable and boom for causing such pull .0 exert a positive downward pressure on the boon. andbucket.

In dredger, a boom, a bucket there- Vhen thus the boom relation to the boom, means for closing the below, said bucket comprising opposed grabs grabs, and means functioning in conjunctlon with the operatlon of said closing means for exerting a positive downward pressure on the bucket.

3.-In a dredger, a boom, a bucket therebelow, said bucket comprising opposed grabs pivoted together for opening anduclosing 1 movement, I'lglCl connection means between the boom and bucket and supporting the latter in'suspended and definitely spaced Y relation to the boom, means for closing the grabs including a cable to be pulled, and

means supporting the cablein mannerto cause such pull to exert a positive downward pressure on the bucket.

at; In a dredger, boom, a bucket therebelow, said bucket comprising opposed grabs pivoted together for opening and closing movement, rigid connection means be-' tween the boom and bucket and supporting the latter in suspended and definitely spaced relation to the boom, means for closing the grabs, and means applied to the boom and operable simultaneously with the closing of the grabs for exerting a positive downward pressure on the bucket under all conditions and positions of the latter.

5. In a dredger, a boom pivotally sup ported at one end, means for raising and lowering the boom aboutitspivot, a-bucket below the outer end of the boom, said bucket comprising opposed grabs pivoted together for opening and closing movement and rigid, arms projecting upwardly from opposed connections with the grabs, rigid vertical connection means-between the boom and the upper ends of the arms, a sheave v 4 dredgerls in operation.

mounted on the boom in substantial vertical ahnement with sand connect on means, a

second sheave mounted on the boom rear--,

wardly of the first namedjsheave. a third sheave disposed below andfixed relative to the boom, and a grab closingcable extending from rearwardly o f the second sheave around the same, then to" and around the third sheave, and thence to and around the first sheave anl down to the bucket.

6; In a dredger, a boom pivotally supported atone end, means forraising and. lowering tbeboom about its pivot, a bucket" below the outer end of the boom, said buck et comprising opposed, grabs pivoted 'together for opening andlclosing movement and rigid arms projecting upwardly from opposed connections with the grabs, rigid and definitely spaced vertical connection means between the boom and theupper ends 'of the armsya sheave mounted in thebooni in substantial vertical alinementwith said closing around H1,690,57&

.coimectionmeans, a second sheavedisposed belowjancl ahead or the rear end oi the boom and fixed relative thereto, and a grabpull cable extending downwardly the second sheave, thence to and around the first sheave and down to the bucket; 5 I V v 7. In a dredger, a boom, a bucket there-, below, said bucket; comprising opposed grabs pivoted together for opening and ,clos-,

mg ,movement,rrigid connection means between the boom and bucket and supporting the latter in suspended and definitely spaced relation to the boom,-mean s for closing the grabs including a cable projecting upwardly from the bucket to the boom, a sheave on the boom about which the cable passes, said cable then extending lengthwise of the boom to a point below and in front of'the rear end of the same, and a sheave fixed relative to the boom about which the cable passes at its lowest point. I V

8. In a dred er, a: boom, apbucket there? below said bucket comprising opposed g obs pivoted together for opening and closing movement, rigidrconnection means between the boom and bucket and supporting latter in suspended and definitely spaced relr. onto the boom asheave on the boom adjacent the connection of the b'ucket supporting means therewith, and means for clos ingthe grabs including a cableto be pulled. extending from .the bucket 1 to and around the sheave and then downwardly relatively to theboomu v. v v

9. lnadredger, a boom, abu'cket therebelow, a rigid circular member secured to and depending from the boom, a sleeve. secured to and projecting upwardly from the bucket and turnably and slidably associated with the circular member, and clamping meansfor holding the sleeve in any desired position on the circular member while the 10. In a dredger, a boom, a bucket therebelow, means for supporting the bucket from the boom "comprising extensible male andfemale' members, turnably and slidably mounted together, means for clamping said members to prevent relative movement there of, and means between'the members for permittingturning movement of the one on vthe other when the clamping means is loosened while preventing longitudinal movement of the members relative to each other. ll'rri structure as in claim 10, in which said last named means comprise a collar releasably fixed onthemale member outwardly of the female member, and elements on the female member engaging the collar in a manner to cause the latter to support the female member and permit of relative rotation s of the'members. 1 H V In testimonywhereof I afiix my signature.

- I 7 JOHN FUNK. 

